<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Destined by Mia_Vaan</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25809736">Destined</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mia_Vaan/pseuds/Mia_Vaan'>Mia_Vaan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The New Legends of Monkey (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Forbidden Love, Post-Season/Series 02, Protective Monkey, References to Chinese Mythology, References to Journey to the West, Reincarnation, Tripkey, the Font Demon gets a name</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:29:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,819</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25809736</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mia_Vaan/pseuds/Mia_Vaan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Red Thread of Fate binds together those who are destined to be lovers. Not even death is strong enough to break it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Font Demon/Original Female Character(s), Monkey King/Tripitaka (The New Legends of Monkey)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>123</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One: The Return</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: I don't own this awesome show, nor do I claim to. I'm just playing in the sandbox until we get a season three. </p><p>I've been making a habit of completing stories entirely before posting, but I'm making an exception with this one because I just couldn't wait. Season two was so good. :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Where is she?! Why isn’t she here?!”</p><p>The hooded Gods before him didn’t respond. Monkey reached for his staff, determined to tear them all apart until they told him where she was, but came up empty. Which made sense.</p><p>He was dead.</p><p>One of the Gods stepped forwards, pulling back her hood. It was Gwen.</p><p>“She has been with you all along.”</p><p>Before Monkey could ask what she meant by that, he was violently yanked away from the Heavens.</p><p>---</p><p>Tripitaka was standing in the gardens of Jade Mountain, blossom falling all around her. That, along with the bright sunshine overhead, told her that what she was seeing was a moment in time before the demon uprising.</p><p>She was filled with the familiar feeling of memory walking; it was the same feeling she’d experienced when witnessing Monkey’s memories alongside him. But she wasn’t connected to Monkey. Why would she be seeing his memories?</p><p>Laughter filled the garden, and Tripitaka turned to see a young woman – a Goddess – running through a white archway. Long golden hair cascaded down her back and a golden tan caressed her skin, but her most striking feature was the pair of golden eyes that were almost glowing. Unlike most Goddesses, she wore men’s shirt and trousers, and there was a dagger attached to her hip.</p><p>She was carrying a load of peaches in her arms and kept looking behind her. “Come on, Monkey! Hurry!”</p><p>The familiar God ran through the archway behind her, and Tripitaka couldn’t help the gasp that escaped past her lips.</p><p>It had been a week since Monkey had launched himself into the sun, and there was still no sign of him. After building a funeral pyre for Gaxin and watching his body burn away into ash, Tripitaka, Pigsy and Sandy had waited by the tree all night and all the following day. After the second night had passed and the sun had risen again, Monkey still hadn’t returned.</p><p>And Pigsy had been forced to separate a screaming Tripitaka from the scrolls.</p><p>“It didn’t work! Let me try!”</p><p>“And what if it <em>did</em> work? You’d die for nothing. Give Monkey time.”</p><p>Time.</p><p>Tripitaka wanted to be patient; back at Lion Heart Rock, she’d spoken to Gaxin about his own resurrection, and he’d told her he hadn’t returned until six weeks after his death. Which had then been followed by two weeks of Monica nursing him back to health. Granted, Monkey wouldn’t need that much recovery time since he was a God instead of a human, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t take a while for Monkey to pop back up again. She just had to wait.</p><p>But she also wanted Monkey back, <em>right now</em>. And she knew how impatient he was; knew he wouldn’t wait to make his way back to her. If it was taking him this long…</p><p>The temptation to get the scrolls was close to unbearable, and it took every ounce of the Scholar’s teachings to keep her from storming up to Pigsy and snatching them from him.</p><p>Because as much as she didn’t want to think about it, maybe there was a reason the incantation didn’t work. Maybe the Gods didn’t want Monkey to return. That thought ignited the fires of rage within her, because how could they? He died saving all of them. He deserved a second chance at life.</p><p>The Monkey in the memory ran towards her, arms full of peaches, and Tripitaka wanted desperately for him to see her. But it was only a memory, and he ran right past her without even sparing her a second glance.</p><p>“Cada! Up here!” Monkey ran towards the largest tree in the garden and leapt up it with ease, landing perfectly on one of the higher branches.</p><p>The Goddess, Cada, turned on her heel and ran towards the tree. She too was able to leap up and land on the branch next to him without any effort. The pair stayed quiet as an older God wearing a long white robe hurried into the garden, flustered and angry.</p><p>“Where is that little piece of…” His gaze scanned the garden, but he didn’t think to look up into the trees. Which, Tripitaka reasoned with a giggle, he really should have done, given that one of the Gods he was looking for was named <em>Monkey</em>. With a huff, the God stormed away to continue his search elsewhere.</p><p>When he was gone, Monkey turned to Cada and said, “You’re welcome!”</p><p>She frowned. “And what am I thanking you for?”</p><p>“Because I was the distraction, he’s only looking for me,” said Monkey. “I told you it would work.”</p><p>Cada bumped him with her shoulder. “It was <em>my</em> plan!”</p><p>“Yes! And <em>I</em> told you your plan would work,” said Monkey. “Without my confidence and superior ability to pull off plans of mischief, <em>you</em> would have been caught.”</p><p>She bumped him again, and the two laughed together as they shared the peaches between them.</p><p>Tripitaka smiled at the sight of Monkey looking so happy. Her gaze was then drawn to the Goddess, and she wondered what happened to her. Cada hadn’t been present in Monkey’s other memories, particularly Monkey’s trial. Added to that, Monkey had referred to Davari as his only friend, but he was clearly on good terms with this Goddess. She wondered what that meant.</p><p>As she watched them eat, Tripitaka realised that she was starting to get hot. Her hand wiped away the sweat on her brow, and her nostrils flared at the smell of smoke. She looked around her for the fire, but the memory remained peaceful. She couldn’t even see the smoke.</p><p>Her eyes widened when she suddenly realised that the smell wasn’t coming from the memory, and in the next moment she snapped her eyes open and found herself lying on her sleeping matt on the floor in a room filled with smoke. The day’s events flashed back to her, and she really should have known that collecting the fourth scroll wasn’t going to be as easy as it seemed.</p><p>The Scroll of Spirits had been given to a monastery for protection. When Tripitaka had arrived at the door with her companions and spoken her name, the monks had let them inside without a fuss and handed over the scroll. And since it was nightfall when they arrived, they had been allowed to stay the night with the intention of setting off first thing in the morning.</p><p>Tripitaka wondered if the fire had been caused by a demon attack, but there was no time for contemplation. She ignored every instinct in her body screaming at her to climb to her feet and run. She needed to stay close to the floor, where the smoke wasn’t as thick. Struggling to breathe, she pulled her scarf up over her nose and mouth before crawling in the direction of the door.</p><p>It was impossible to see even a few centimetres in front of her. She struggled to keep her eyes open as they started watering, and continued crawling forwards. When she reached the sliding door, she used the back of her hand to feel the frame further up.</p><p>She gasped and snapped her hand back. The whole door was flaming hot. There was a good chance that if she opened it, she would walk into an inferno.</p><p>Even with her scarf covering most of her face, it was getting harder to breathe. But she pressed on, turning around and crawling in the direction of the window. It took longer this time; she could feel her energy burning away as the room grew hotter and hotter. She was tempted to find her water canteen and pour it over her head, but there was no time. Not to mention there was a good chance that the water itself was already too hot to do any good.</p><p>Finally she reached the far wall, and pulled herself to her feet. She pushed against the window shutters, but they were jammed.</p><p>She was trapped.</p><p>“Help!” She banged her fists against the shutters. If they didn’t open, then hopefully someone would hear the noise. “I’m in here! Help!”</p><p>It was all she was able to shout before she was overtaken by a coughing fit, which sent her tumbling to the floor. And very quickly, she realised she was too weak to get back up again.</p><p>“Help…” Tripitaka’s throat was dry, and the word was barely a whisper.</p><p>Her world started to go dark.</p><p>Suddenly there was a loud crash, and Tripitaka felt the window shutters blow past her like paper in the wind. She tried to turn her head to see what was going on, but could barely move. A pair of arms scooped her up before she was pressed against the warm body of her rescuer, who wasted no time in jumping back out of the window into the night. There was a brief rush of wind against her face before Tripitaka was gently placed onto solid ground.</p><p>She could hear shouting, and vaguely recognised the voices of Pigsy and Sandy, calling her name. And another name. A familiar one.</p><p>With the little strength she had left, Tripitaka turned her head to look up at the face of her rescuer.</p><p>A pair of red eyes stared down at her. But the face around them was one she knew.</p><p>“Monkey…” </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two: Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for all the kudos and kind words! :) </p>
<p>For those of you who may not have already guessed, this story borrows a lot from both Chinese mythology and the original Journey to the West fable.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was as if the rest of the world didn’t matter, with Monkey kneeling beside her.</p>
<p>He was alive. Real. Alive and real and by her side, and she couldn’t stop the wide grin from splitting her face. “Monkey! You’re…”</p>
<p>Trying to speak sent her into another coughing fit, and she turned away from him with her hand covering her mouth. When she tried to take deep breaths, the air hurt her throat and it felt like she wasn’t getting enough in her lungs. What had once been a natural action was turning into a chore.</p>
<p>Monkey’s hand gently rubbed her back. “Easy, little monk.”</p>
<p>She wanted to curl against him and block out the rest of the world. Before she could, she heard footsteps approaching them. Monkey moved closer to her and growled – actually <em>growled</em> – at whoever it was. Tripitaka looked up to see the Head Monk standing over them, warily watching Monkey. “I can help. The smoke will poison her.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka watched as Monkey considered the monk’s words, before he backed away and rose to his feet. She wanted to reach for his hand and ask him to stay by her side, but she didn’t have the energy to.</p>
<p>The Head Monk knelt down beside her and presented her with some kind of pill. “Swallow this.”</p>
<p>With shaking hands, Tripitaka took the pill from him and slipped it into her mouth. The Head Monk then gave her a cup of water – where he got the water from was anyone’s guess, he probably used some kind of monk magic – which she drank from to help her swallow the pill. The moment it disappeared down her throat, she felt the pill explode into a cold sensation that spread throughout her body. The burning at the back of her throat stopped, and the pain in her lungs evaporated.</p>
<p>The urge to open her mouth overcame her, and when she did, black smoke fled from her body. She wondered if this was what being a fire-breathing dragon felt like.</p>
<p>Monkey’s hands were on her again, and Tripitaka leaned into his touch as she took in several deep breaths. “Tripitaka, are you alright?”</p>
<p>She nodded. “Yeah. I am now. Thanks for saving me.”</p>
<p>“I thought you said you didn’t need me to save you.”</p>
<p>He was smirking at her when she looked back up at him. She wanted to smile back, but his eyes concerned her. They were still red. “Monkey, your eyes.”</p>
<p>“They’re fine,” he assured her. “Smoke turns them red.”</p>
<p>The fact that he knew that and wasn’t concerned meant he’d spent way too much time running into fires, but that was a conversation for another time. She turned back to the Head Monk and asked, “What happened? Was it demons? Where are the scrolls?”</p>
<p>“The scrolls are safe, and it wasn’t demons,” said the monk. “I’m afraid it was a member of our own order: my Disciple. Ever since he laid eyes on the Scroll of Spirits, he has been trying to decipher the ancient language so he can learn the secrets for himself. I thought he would no longer be a problem once you collected the scroll, but I was wrong. He started a fire in order to cover his escape, and attempted to make off with not just our scroll, but the other three you have already collected, as well. Luckily, your friends stopped him.”</p>
<p>He pointed back towards the burning monastery. Close by, Pigsy was standing guard over the kneeling Disciple, his rake pointed at the man’s head. The other monks were scattered about, some in prayer while others helped those who had been injured in the fire. In the background, Sandy was squirting water over the flames, putting the fire out. Tripitaka wondered if the River Goddess ever ran out of water.</p>
<p>“Tripitaka.” Monkey placed his hand over hers. “Do you have my staff?”</p>
<p>She nodded, and from her sleeve she pulled out the miniaturised staff he had given to her before his sacrifice. Looking him up and down, she noticed that while he still wore his crown, his leather armour was slightly different; brown instead of black, and lacking any bits of gold. “I kept it safe for you.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, monk.” He smiled at her, before resizing his staff and stalking towards the Disciple with a murderous look in his eyes. Which looked even worse, thanks to said eyes still being red.</p>
<p>The Disciple saw him coming, and was overcome with terror. Even Pigsy looked like he wanted to get out of the way of the enraged Monkey King.</p>
<p>“Monkey, wait!” Tripitaka leapt to her feet. “You can’t hurt him!”</p>
<p>“He nearly <em>killed</em> you!” Monkey stopped and spun back to face her. It wasn’t just rage she saw morphed across his face; it was pain. She’d nearly died, and that frightened him. “He deserves it!” And he continued to stalk towards the cowering Disciple.</p>
<p>Shaking her head, Tripitaka placed two fingers to her lips and recited the familiar sutra, ignoring the memories of the last time she had done so. Monkey yelled in pain and collapsed to the ground, dropping his staff and holding a hand to his head. Tripitaka flinched; she didn’t want to hurt him, especially after what he did to save them all, but he couldn’t kill the monk. The man was unarmed.</p>
<p>When it was done, she immediately hurried over to Monkey and collapsed to her knees by his side. “I’m sorry, Monkey. I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to do that, but I had to stop you.”</p>
<p>He looked up at her, but she couldn’t see a single trace of anger. Not only did he appear calmer, but his eyes were no longer red. The God patted her arm and said, “Thank you.”</p>
<p>Not caring that he wasn’t a hugging person, she threw herself at him, arms upon. To her surprise, not only did he accept the hug but he also hugged her back, and tight enough for it to be wholly sincere. She felt him press his nose against her neck and take a deep breath, like he was familiarising himself with her scent.</p>
<p>The Head Monk walked over to his Disciple and swapped places with Pigsy, who wasted no time in hurrying over to the still hugging duo. He was joined by Sandy, who smiled brightly at the return of their companion. “Look who’s back!”</p>
<p>Monkey pulled away from Tripitaka and winked at her.</p>
<p>Pigsy sighed. “Shame. I was getting used to not being made fun of all the time.”</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>
  <em>“She has been with you all along.” </em>
</p>
<p>Gwen’s words echoed in his mind as Monkey watched the sunrise from the branch of a tree. Behind him, smoke had stopped rising from the ruins of the monastery and his companions were speaking with the Head Monk. He could hear Tripitaka offering her apologies for the trouble they’d caused.</p>
<p>Monkey smiled. Only Tripitaka would apologise for actions beyond her control.</p>
<p>Being close to her again was… comforting. He hadn’t realised it before, but her presence banished the feeling of emptiness that had been left being after the death of…</p>
<p>He closed his eyes. It was a blessing, the quest; it distracted him from thinking about her. But after his brief time in Heaven and seeing that she wasn’t there… His thoughts couldn’t help but linger on her.</p>
<p>Gwen’s words repeated themselves again, and Monkey dismissed them. That couldn’t be true. The only Goddess he’d travelled with was Sandy.</p>
<p>There had to be more to it. Monkey wanted to kick himself for skipping classes with the Master. Perhaps if he hadn’t, he could have learned more…</p>
<p>“Monkey! It’s time to go!”</p>
<p>The God looked down and saw Tripitaka standing beneath him. He gave her a nod of acknowledgement before leaping from the branch and landing perfectly on the ground beside her.</p>
<p>Pigsy and Sandy walked over to join them, and the former asked, “Where to now?”</p>
<p>“The Kingdom of a Hundred Flowers is a two days’ walk from here,” said Monkey. “The King’s palace is one of the most secure in all of the Seven Continents. If all is as it should be, then the Royal Family still protects the next scroll.”</p>
<p>“And which scroll is that?” asked Sandy.</p>
<p>“The Scroll of Love.” Tripitaka was reading from the Scroll of Knowledge. “You’re right, Monkey. The family still protects it, according to this. I’m surprised they’re still in power, with the demons controlling most of everything.”</p>
<p>“Some Kings and Queens were able to keep their power so long as they cooperated with whatever demon lord settled in their Kingdom,” said Pigsy. “Which means that either the family kept the scroll a secret…”</p>
<p>“…Or the Kingdom’s local demon lord knows about the scroll.” Sandy looked worried.</p>
<p>Tripitaka sent the Goddess a reassuring look. “I’m sure the Scroll of Knowledge would have warned us if that was the case.”</p>
<p>Monkey couldn’t help but smile at her. While her enthusiasm and optimism could seem hopeless naïve in the face of unfair odds, it was still completely adorable.</p>
<p>“What does the Scroll of Love even <em>do</em>?” Pigsy asked.</p>
<p>“From what I’ve read,” Tripitaka explained, “it has something to do with the Red Thread of Fate.”</p>
<p>Flashes from times long passed hit Monkey like a wrecking-ball, and at the centre of them all was a beautiful golden smile.</p>
<p>He hit his staff into the ground. “It doesn’t matter what it does. Let’s just go get it before the local demon lords take an interest.”</p>
<p>Ignoring the puzzled looks his friends gave him, he stalked away down the road. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three: Memory Space</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first thing Tripitaka was aware of was the sound of water.</p>
<p>She looked up at the ceiling of rock above her head before turning in a circle to observe her surroundings. The cave she was standing in was large, with a large waterfall cascading down in front of the wide entrance. The water acted like a curtain, though Tripitaka was able to catch a glimpse of the outside world. From what little she could see, she guessed she was somewhere on the Mountain of Fruit and Flowers.</p>
<p>“Monkey, this is… You know we can’t do this.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka turned towards the familiar voice. Monkey and Cada were sat on a rock towards the back of the cave, facing one another. Their close proximity to one another was enough of an indication that the two Gods were more than just friends.</p>
<p>It had never even occurred to her until now that Monkey may have been in love once. She’d certainly never read anything that hinted at it.</p>
<p>Monkey smirked and moved in closer, his nose brushing against hers. “The Monkey King can do whatever he wants.”</p>
<p>“But I’m a War Maiden!” Cada hissed, as if she was afraid of being overheard.</p>
<p>A War Maiden. That explained why she was wearing men’s clothes, Tripitaka realised. The Scholar had taught her about the War Maidens of Jade Mountain; Goddesses who were trained in warfare, but had sworn an oath to remain virgins for as long as they bore swords. If they broke that oath, they would be disgracefully discharged.</p>
<p>Perhaps that was why she was never mentioned. She and Monkey couldn’t be together.</p>
<p>“Then stop being one,” said Monkey.</p>
<p>Cada shook her head. “In case you forgot, the reason I became a War Maiden in the first place was because Jin wanted to marry me, and this was the only way I could get out of the Higher Gods arranging the match without my say so. Even now, Jin just keeps… <em>staring</em> at me. I’d kick his butt if I was allowed to.”</p>
<p>“Can I kick it for you?”</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the smile that broke through her annoyance. “My point is, if I left the War Maidens, he’d snatch me up faster than I can snap my fingers.” She did just that for emphasis.</p>
<p>Monkey scoffed. “Like you would let him. Besides, I can just challenge him for your hand.”</p>
<p>“The Master wouldn’t allow it. You know that. Jin is a higher-ranking God than you.”</p>
<p>He took her hands in his and squeezed them gently. “Then this is the only way we can be together. In secret.”</p>
<p>Cada sighed. “Monkey…”</p>
<p>Before she could continue, Monkey swooped in and stole a kiss. The Goddess didn’t fight him, and responded in kind.</p>
<p>Tripitaka couldn’t tear her eyes away, no matter how much she wanted to. Though she hadn’t meant to, she was intruding on a private moment between two lovers, and just <em>being</em> there felt wrong. She couldn’t understand why she was being shown this. What were these memories trying to tell her?</p>
<p>And why did her lips feel warm? Like she was the one being kissed?</p>
<p>She was pulled from her thoughts when Cada pushed Monkey away. “Seriously, do you know how much trouble we’ll get into if we’re caught?”</p>
<p>“I can’t believe you just said that to me,” said Monkey, with a look that screamed ‘do you even know who I am?’</p>
<p>Before Cada could make any more arguments, Monkey kissed her again. Her entire body relaxed, and Tripitaka knew that the Goddess had given up on arguing. It was clear that her love for Monkey had overridden her sense of duty.</p>
<p>Monkey started kissing down Cada’s neck as the pair laid themselves down on the rock, with on top of her. Realising what was about to happen, Tripitaka screwed her eyes shut and willed herself away.</p>
<p>When she opened her eyes again, she was lying under a starry sky in the middle of the forest with her friends around her. She sat upright and looked around at the familiar camp they had set up hours ago; the fire had shrunk, and both Pigsy and Sandy were fast asleep.</p>
<p>Monkey was sat close by, wide awake and leaning against his staff. Upon sensing her wake, he turned towards her. “Are you OK?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Tripitaka nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Is it nearly sunrise?”</p>
<p>“Soon.” Monkey nodded to the east, where the first rays of light were starting to peak over the horizon and block out the light of the stars. “You should get some more sleep.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep again now,” she said. It was possible she might be able to drift off again for another hour or two, but she didn’t want to get caught up in another memory, or vision, or whatever it was she was seeing.</p>
<p>She sighed. Would it be a good idea to tell Monkey about what she was seeing? On the one hand, the fact that he’d never mentioned Cada before probably meant he didn’t want to talk about her. She didn’t want to bring up any potentially painful memories before he was ready to discuss them.</p>
<p>But on the other hand, it still felt <em>wrong</em> that she was intruding on his personal life without his permission. Tripitaka knew she’d already seen way more than Monkey probably wanted her to, and keeping him in the dark about it felt even worse. He deserved to know that she knew.</p>
<p>Making her decision, she picked herself up and walked over to Monkey, taking a seat beside him. He smiled at her, and for a moment she almost changed her mind. She was certain that when she told him what she’d seen, that smile would vanish. But she reminded herself that this wasn’t fair for him, so pushed herself for go for it. She just needed to figure out how to tell him.</p>
<p>“Do you remember when you got trapped in your own mind, and I had to get you out?” she asked. He nodded in acknowledgement and frowned, clearly wondering where she was going with this line of conversation. “Well… I think I might still be connected to you somehow. I don’t know how or why, and it only started happening recently so I don’t know why it waited for so long to start happening…”</p>
<p>“Tripitaka.” He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Start from the beginning.”</p>
<p>She nodded and took in a deep breath. “I’m seeing your memories. I’ve only seen two so far; the first one was on the night of the fire, the second one just now.”</p>
<p>“What did you see?”</p>
<p>The girl braced herself and said, “Cada.”</p>
<p>Monkey instantly tensed up. He removed his hand from her shoulder and turned away, staring dead ahead. “Oh.”</p>
<p>“I swear, I’m not doing this on purpose,” Tripitaka told him. “I don’t even know why I’m seeing these memories, since they’re not even mine.”</p>
<p>“You’re entering Memory Space,” said Monkey. “A state of being where all memories are stored. Gods can enter it at will. Some demons with magic capability can too, like the Shaman. And I’ve heard of great human sages achieving the ability, as well.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka shook her head. “I’m not a sage.”</p>
<p>“But you’re a great human. Same thing.” He said it as if it was a fact of life, like the sky being blue. “Stop acting like you want people to be angry with you. I’m not mad, because this isn’t your fault.”</p>
<p>Her whole body relaxed, and she realised she hadn’t even noticed how she’d been holding her breath, waiting for him to explode or dismiss her as unimportant. “It still felt like I was intruding on something… special.”</p>
<p>“She was,” said Monkey. “But I don’t wanna talk about it. Probably best you watch things play out yourself.”</p>
<p>Knowing that was all he was going to say on the matter, Tripitaka chose to sit quietly beside him and watch the sun rise above the trees. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four: The King</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Kingdom of a Hundred Flowers certainly lived up to its name. There were flowers <em>everywhere</em>.</p>
<p>Gardens upon gardens of them covered the hillsides surrounding the central town, and even the shops and homes were being used to grow flowering vines. It had been many centuries since Monkey had experienced so much pollen in the air, and sneezed repeatedly upon entering the town – and his three companions followed suit.</p>
<p>They were forced to cover their noses, Tripitaka and Monkey using their scarves while Pigsy and Sandy had to fashion their own.</p>
<p>“There’d better be some good honey around here,” said Pigsy, observing all the bees flying around.</p>
<p>The last time Monkey had visited the Kingdom properly (actually stopping instead of just flying over), the Kingdom’s people were a lot like Mycelia; happy and smiley with a green thumb. And while they were still clearly the last part, happy and smiley they were not. People were hurrying back and forwards like they were afraid to be outside, and most were carrying some form of weapon on them. Added to that, no one greeted the four travellers and went out of their way to avoid them.</p>
<p>Sandy hit the metaphorical nail on the head. “You’d think being surrounded by beauty, they’d all be happy.”</p>
<p>“I think I know why.” Monkey pointed with his staff to the palace up ahead; large and grand as it had always been, but what was different from the last time was the sheer number of well-armed guards that surrounded it. “The King has guards stationed around his palace, but not around the town itself. Leaving the people vulnerable to demon attacks.”</p>
<p>“But… These are his people,” said Tripitaka. “He should be defending them.”</p>
<p>Pigsy winced. “I’m guessing you’ve read <em>way</em> too many storybooks about just and noble Kings. They exist in the real world, but they’re in short supply these days.”</p>
<p>“Things never used to be like this,” said Monkey.</p>
<p>“They could just be protecting the scroll,” Sandy suggested.</p>
<p>But Monkey had a feeling the safety of the scroll had nothing to do with it.</p>
<p>They walked up to the palace gate and were immediately stopped by one of the guards. “Halt. No one is permitted to see King Rajesh unless invited.”</p>
<p>Monkey put on his best charming smile and said, “He’ll want to see us. I’m the Monkey King, Slayer of Demons, Sage Equal to-”</p>
<p>The guard interrupted him with a scoff. “Yeah, and I’m the King of Hell. Look buddy, you’re the twenty-second Monkey King this week that’s shown up here demanding to see the King. And while I’ll admit you’ve got the best hair out of all of them…”</p>
<p>Monkey preened over his hair, ignoring how Tripitaka, Pigsy and Sandy all rolled their eyes at him. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>“There’s no way on Earth you’re the real deal,” the guard continued. “So move along.”</p>
<p>He always pitied humans who didn’t believe. But it made things more entertaining for him. Without breaking eye-contact with the guard, Monkey raised his hand in the air before he whistled and clicked for his cloud.</p>
<p>Of course, he realised, it would be just typical if the cloud chose <em>now</em> to be fickle and not appear, but luck appeared to be on his side. The cloud appeared right in front of the guard’s face, causing him to jump backwards in shock with a high-pitched scream. The guards around him also jumped in surprise, but they were more mesmerised by the divine proof that the Monkey King stood before them.</p>
<p>“Good Cloud.” Monkey patted it like a dog before sending it away with another whistle. “Now, kind guard person, may we see the King?”</p>
<p>The guard stuttered before nodding his head. “Y-Yes. I’ll announce your presence right away. Follow me.”</p>
<p>He signalled for the guards above him to open the gate, and soon the quartet were being led inside the vast marble palace filled with beautiful artwork depicting all kinds of flowers. Out of the corner of his eye, Monkey noticed Tripitaka nearly tripping over her own feet while looking up at the paintings on the ceiling.</p>
<p>They were led into a large throne room filled with both guards and a number of well-dressed people. Nobles, more likely. The guard bowed upon entering the room. “Your Majesty, I present to you the Monkey King and his disciples.”</p>
<p>“Pretty sure we’re Tripitaka’s disciples,” Pigsy whispered to Sandy. Monkey quickly slapped him on the shoulder.</p>
<p>As they crossed the room, Monkey could see a man at the far end slumped on a throne which looked to be made of gold. His hair and beard were dark, his skin light brown. He wore red and purple robes which were so intricate they looked like they’d taken months to sew, and a golden crown sat precariously on his head. He was nothing like the Kings of old, who always appeared very modest and welcoming.</p>
<p>When they finally reached the throne and bowed in respect, the King – Rajesh, from what Monkey had heard at the gate – beamed at them. “Greetings, from one King to another! To what do I owe this great honour, Monkey King?”</p>
<p>“My companions and I are gathering the Seven Sacred Scrolls so that we may deliver them to the Gods’ Resistance in the Western Mountains,” Monkey explained. “When I scattered the scrolls across the seven continents five hundred years ago, I dropped on of them in front of your palace, so that your family may keep it safe. With your respect, I have come to collect it.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” The King slumped further into his throne. “If only you had come sooner. The scroll has been taken… along with my daughter.”</p>
<p>Monkey tried not to let his annoyance show. He really should have known it wouldn’t be easy, collecting this scroll. And adding a missing Princess to the mix just complicated things even more.</p>
<p>“Your daughter?” Tripitaka spoke up. “Who took her?”</p>
<p>King Rajesh didn’t look impressed and raised a finger towards her. “Did I address you, little boy?”</p>
<p>Tripitaka was taken aback, and Monkey used every ounce of the little self-control he had to stop himself from snapping at the King. He was able to compose himself and said, “Who is responsible for this?”</p>
<p>“A demon,” said the King. “He was such a monstrous, vile creature. He took my beloved daughter, Princess Peony, and the scroll too. From what I heard, the demon forced her to marry him. She must be so frightened, and I cannot send out a rescue party without leaving my palace defenceless.”</p>
<p>Monkey looked around at all the guards. He couldn’t spare even one or two?</p>
<p>When he saw the expression on Tripitaka’s face, he knew that she wanted to tell this King that the safety of his daughter (and the scroll) should be more important than the safety of his palace. But probably considering how the King had already reacted to her, she decided not to say anything.</p>
<p>“This demon will be nothing but ash when I’m through with him,” said Monkey with a grin. Already his excitement was building; he planned on taking his time slaying this demon and enjoy every minute of it. “Do you pay tribute to this demon? Did he take you daughter because you couldn’t pay it?”</p>
<p>“Oh, no!” King Rajesh shook his head. “This is a completely different demon. A newcomer. The demon lords I pay tribute to are perfectly fine. The Horned Brothers, they’re called. Gold and his younger brother, Silver. They already tried to get the scrolls and my daughter back for me, but the demon proved too powerful for them.”</p>
<p>Hearing this surprised Monkey. It wasn’t every day he met humans who appeared to be happy with demon rulers, though observing the considerable wealth the King had acquired, Monkey could make a guess as to why. This stopped him from offering to kill the other demons, too.</p>
<p>He would still do it, of course. It was hard to keep the Monkey King away from <em>any</em> opportunity to slay a demon. He just wouldn’t tell the King he was doing it. “I will return your daughter to you. You have my word as a God.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t until they were outside the palace gates that Pigsy said what the others were all thinking. “Just so we’re clear, we’re totally gonna slay those other two demons, right?”</p>
<p>“Pigsy,” said Monkey, “that’s like asking you if you’re gonna eat, or Sandy if she’s gonna write another poem about our adventures.”</p>
<p>The River Goddess already had her notebook and pencil out, and was writing down her thoughts. “I’ve written forty-three now. What can I say? This quest is the ultimate muse.”</p>
<p>“The Horned Brothers can wait,” said Tripitaka. “Right now, our priority is rescuing Princess Peony and getting the Scroll of Love. We can worry about the other demons afterwards.”</p>
<p>Monkey pouted and hit his staff into the ground in frustration. He hated waiting. “Fine.”</p>
<p>“But we’re still gonna slay the demon holding the Princess captive,” she reminded him.</p>
<p>He immediately brightened up. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Five: Names</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They were told that the demon lived in the pine forest beneath the mountains in the furthest corner of the Kingdom. Which made sense; it was where most of the demons came from, according to the locals.</p>
<p>The sun was already starting to lower in the sky by the time they set off, something that Pigsy annoyingly pointed out repeatedly, but Monkey was determined to kill this demon sooner rather than later. When the sky went dark and travelling became impossible, Monkey regretted his impulsiveness but refused to admit it aloud.</p>
<p>There were no trees or rocks, or anything that could provide shelter. Monkey kept sending Tripitaka worried glances; though she refused to show it, he knew she was all too aware of how vulnerable she was out in the open.</p>
<p>Luckily, they came upon an old abandoned barn where they could shelter for the night, and Monkey released the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.</p>
<p>He knew Tripitaka could take care of herself. She was getting better at hand-to-hand combat (at an almost insanely fast pace, he realised), and was smarter than any human he’d ever met. But he still worried, because humans were just so fragile, and if anything ever happened to her…</p>
<p>His desperate need to protect her at any cost had always been there, but it had only grown after Shadow Monkey tried to kill her. And then even more so after the monastery fire. If he hadn’t gotten there in time, she would have died. He rebelled against that very thought harder than he’d ever rebelled against anything – which was saying something, given his reputation.</p>
<p>Monkey refused to accept a world without her in it. Especially after his discovery in Heaven. He couldn’t lose anyone else.</p>
<p>Tripitaka was eating the meal Pigsy had cooked for them, and Monkey couldn’t help but watch her as she did. There was a warm familiarity about her that he couldn’t name, but it comforted him whenever she was close. Her smile was like a light in the darkness.</p>
<p>She would soon stop smiling, he knew, when she eventually found out what happened to Cada. He wondered if telling her would stop her from witnessing what happened in the Memory Space, but the thought of even talking about it made his throat go dry. His only hope was that she would stop memory walking before she got that far; she’d already gone further than any human had before, without a God tethered to her.</p>
<p>Her gaze met his, and she said, “What do you think, Monkey?”</p>
<p>He blinked. “Mm?”</p>
<p>“The name of the Princess,” said Pigsy. “Peony is a bit of an embarrassing name. Everyone would just think you’re some kind of pink-wearing flower child for the rest of your life. She’d have to change her name if she wanted to toughen up.”</p>
<p>“But she <em>is</em> the Princess of the Kingdom of a Hundred Flowers,” said Sandy. “So she probably <em>is</em> a pink-wearing flower child.”</p>
<p>“We can’t help the names we were given.” Tripitaka let out a breath, like she’d just made a decision. “Why do you think I prefer to go by Tripitaka?”</p>
<p>This caught Monkey’s attention, because Tripitaka had never given them a real name. When they’d discovered her true gender and asked for one, by that point she had accepted her new name and didn’t want to be called any different. Even when the original Tripitaka had made himself known, she hadn’t told them her real name, preferring to be known simply as ‘girl’. (Which Monkey now realised was belittling and hadn’t helped her self-confidence at all. Guilt creeped up on him.)</p>
<p>“Ooh.” Pigsy smirked. “Now you <em>have</em> to tell us.”</p>
<p>She narrowed her eyes at them all. “Promise me you won’t laugh.”</p>
<p>Monkey raised his hands. “You have my word.” The other two nodded.</p>
<p>Tripitaka put her empty bowl down. “The Scholar was great at many things, but naming babies wasn’t one of them. He just pulled out an old book and gave me the first name he saw. Which was… Hortense.”</p>
<p>Pigsy snorted unexpectedly, before immediately covering his mouth. “Sorry, I’m sorry…”</p>
<p>“What’s wrong with that name?” Monkey frowned. It sounded like just an ordinary, human name to him.</p>
<p>“It’s an old lady’s name,” said Pigsy. “No offence, Trip.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, I’ve heard it all before,” she told him. “I’ve accepted that it’s an embarrassing name, and I’ve moved on.”</p>
<p>“But what you said doesn’t make sense, Pigsy. Old ladies aren’t born old,” said Sandy. “I’m sure when Tripitaka grows old, the name will suit her just fine.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka smiled at her. “Thanks, Sandy.”</p>
<p>“I don’t see what the fuss is about,” said Monkey. “It’s just a name. But I will take this time to… apologise for calling you ‘girl’ before. It was belittling and unacceptable.”</p>
<p>“Wait…” Tripitaka smirked at him. “Is the infamous Monkey King actually <em>apologising</em>?”</p>
<p>“Sandy! Write that down!” said Pigsy. The Goddess hurriedly picked up her notebook.</p>
<p>Monkey rolled his eyes. “Don’t get used to it. But I mean it.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine,” she assured him. “I preferred to be called ‘girl’ than Hortense, anyway.”</p>
<p>“How about I just call you Tripitaka from now on?”</p>
<p>She nodded. “Works for me.”</p>
<p>And when she smiled at him, the rest of the world fell away.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>When she opened her eyes, Tripitaka was surprised to discover that Monkey was nowhere in sight, which was odd. Wasn’t she supposed to be viewing his memories?</p>
<p>But then she’d been without him before, when she’d witnessed the attack on Jade Mountain. Once again, she wondered why she kept entering the Memory Space. What was the universe trying to show her?</p>
<p>She looked around again. Jade Mountain towered above her, and people were going about their day in the small town below. Tripitaka wondered if she would see Davari, pretending to be a human. Unless this was before he started his “friendship” with Monkey? She couldn’t tell how far back this was happening.</p>
<p>It wasn’t long before she spotted a familiar face. Cada was sat on a low wall across the street, wearing the same sort of leather armour that Monkey typically wore, only this armour was green in colour. Next to her was another Goddess; another War Maiden, with black hair and pale skin. The two were talking and laughing together.</p>
<p>Tripitaka was about to step towards them, when two men crossed her path, heading in the same direction. Both were tall, and while one was heavily built and muscular, the other was lankier. The larger one had golden hair, while the other’s hair was silver.</p>
<p>With a frown, Tripitaka realised they were Gods.</p>
<p>The silver-haired God walked up to the other Goddess and said, “Hey, Padma.”</p>
<p>It was all he was able to say before the Goddess, Padma, leapt to her feet and pointed a dagger at his throat. “How many times have I told you to leave me alone, Yin?”</p>
<p>“But you’re breaking my heart, Babe!” he cried out in an overdramatic tone. “I asked you to be mine, but you just <em>had</em> to be a bitch and deny me. It’s your fault that I feel like I’m dying every day!”</p>
<p>“Pretty sure that’s on <em>you</em>,” said Padma. “I have a life of my own; I don’t exist just to please you.”</p>
<p>“You should be <em>honoured</em> to please me!”</p>
<p>“We are Gods of the highest order.” The other God’s voice was deeper; calmer. He turned to Cada. “But neither of you seem to appreciate that.”</p>
<p>“Because you don’t appreciate <em>us</em>, Jin,” said Cada. “Neither do you respect us. If you were really as great as you claim to be, then you would understand the meaning of the word ‘no’ and back off. Now leave us be.”</p>
<p>The two Gods walked away, both muttering under their breaths. When they were gone, Tripitaka moved closer to the two Goddesses.</p>
<p>“Those brothers are just…” Padma shook her head. “If it wasn’t for Yin and his stupid entitled butt, I’d be living happily with Wolf right now.”</p>
<p>Cada sighed. “We’re both in so much trouble. And if we get kicked out, what’s stopping those two from taking us?”</p>
<p>“That’s what I was going to tell you.” Padma looked around before moving closer and lowering her voice. “Wolf found Yue Lao.”</p>
<p>The other Goddess’s eyes widened. “The weaver of the Red Thread of Fate?”</p>
<p>Padma nodded. “He saw that our fates were tied, and united us in eternal love. Now, not even death can part us. Should we die, we will find each other again. I’m sure he can do the same for you and Monkey.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka was pulled away before she could hear more, and she was once again lying back in the old barn with her friends around her.</p>
<p>Sandy was on watch, and she looked towards the girl with a concerned glance. “Are you OK, Tripitaka?”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Tripitaka turned towards Monkey, who was still sleeping. “I’m fine.” </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter Six: War Maidens</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The quartet set out early the next morning.</p>
<p>Still thinking about what she’d seen in the Memory Space, Tripitaka purposely lagged behind and kept trying to catch Monkey’s attention from where he was leading up front. When he turned and finally noticed how far back she was, he hurried to her side.</p>
<p>“You shouldn’t fall behind, little monk,” he told her. “Not out here.”</p>
<p>“I know.”</p>
<p>Pigsy and Sandy paused when this happened, but upon seeing that nothing was wrong, continued forwards with Pigsy now taking the lead. Monkey and Tripitaka started walking again, too.</p>
<p>When the two other Gods were out of earshot, Tripitaka turned to Monkey and said, “I don’t think it’s your memories I’m seeing.”</p>
<p>“Then whose?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I don’t know. Cada’s, maybe?” She shrugged. “But I think I might know why I’m seeing them. I saw her talking to another War Maiden. Padma?”</p>
<p>“I knew her,” said Monkey. “She was Cada’s closest friend. Except for me, of course.”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Tripitaka smiled a little. “They had a confrontation with two Gods. Brothers. Jin and Yin?”</p>
<p>Monkey clutched his staff tighter, his anger evident. “They were Gods of a higher status who loved to take advantage of the Gods’ bureaucracy. Jin wanted to marry Cada, and was using the imperfect system to give her no choice in the matter. She joined the War Maidens in order to avoid it. Same story with Padma.”</p>
<p>“I thought the Gods would be above arranged marriages,” said Tripitaka. It had been bothering her for a while, ever since Cada had alluded to it in the second memory.</p>
<p>“They were for the most part – unless one of the higher Gods wanted to marry a lower God,” Monkey explained. “It was a complicated system and I didn’t understand all of it, but they could basically throw their weight around and the lower God would be pressured into it. The Master was trying to rewrite the system to stop that from happening, before he…”</p>
<p>The God trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish. Tripitaka understood what he meant.</p>
<p>Wanting to get her friend’s mind off that painful memory, Tripitaka continued. “After the brothers left, Padma mentioned a God she was having an affair with. Wolf? Did you know him, too?”</p>
<p>“I only met him once,” Monkey replied. “Hair like a flame. He was a forest God, and preferred to spend most of his time away from Jade Mountain. From what I remember, Padma met him when she was out fighting demons with the other War Maidens.”</p>
<p>“Padma also said that Wolf found the God Yue Lao,” said Tripitaka. “The weaver of the Red Thread of Fate. Do you think that’s why I’m seeing these memories? Because they’re connected to the scroll?”</p>
<p>Monkey sighed. “It’s possible. Yue Lao was the God who wrote the Scroll of Love.”</p>
<p>“Did you meet him?”</p>
<p>He nodded. “When Cada and I sought him out, in order to… to bind us together.”</p>
<p>In his eyes, Tripitaka could see great love but also great sorrow. She wondered what it was like, to be loved so completely by this God who could potentially tear down mountains with his passion and fury. A part of her longed for it; longed for him.</p>
<p>But she wasn’t jealous of Cada. She was a big girl, and knew when to push her feelings down and let someone she cared about be happy without her. “You married her?”</p>
<p>“Marriage is a simple human term,” said Monkey. “What we did was so much more. Our souls were bound together by the Red Thread of Fate. Even if one of us died, we wouldn’t stay separated for long. Only…”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“I was briefly in Heaven, before returning to life,” he continued. “But Cada wasn’t there. And I can’t think of anywhere else she would be.”</p>
<p><em>That</em> was enough to tell Tripitaka what had happened to the Goddess. Processing what he’d also said, she told him, “What if she reincarnated? You said that death couldn’t separate you for long, right? Maybe her soul reincarnated in order to find you.”</p>
<p>Monkey looked at her with hope in his eyes, and for a moment, Tripitaka sensed something momentous just out of her reach. But before she could consider what it was, the moment passed and Monkey was smiling at her.</p>
<p>“I hope you’re right,” he said, and they continued walking.</p>
<p>They reached the pine forest just after midday. It was darker than any normal forest, but they could still see where they were going. Tripitaka sensed Monkey moving closer to her, though it wasn’t just him; Pigsy and Sandy positioned themselves so that all the Gods surrounded her.</p>
<p>“I appreciate the protection, guys, but I’ve been getting better at combat,” she said.</p>
<p>“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a human learn as fast as you, Tripitaka,” said Sandy. “It’s almost as if you’re remembering moves instead of learning them.”</p>
<p>The other two Gods frowned at her odd choice of wording.</p>
<p>“But this demon sounds powerful,” said Pigsy. “And dark forests like these are no place for fragile human girls.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka was about to snap back that she wasn’t fragile, but then rustling in the nearby bushes caught everyone’s attention. The three Gods raised their weapons, and Tripitaka pulled out Kaedo’s dagger. They waited as the footsteps got closer.</p>
<p>The bushes parted, and a human girl appeared. She was dressed in men’s clothes; a white shirt and a long coat, with brown trousers and boots, and a sword at her hip. Her dark hair was tied up, and her light brown skin was the same tone as King Rajesh’s.</p>
<p>She drew her sword and pointed it at the quartet. “It was unwise to come here, demons.”</p>
<p>With a start, Tripitaka realised that <em>this</em> was Princess Peony. She wasn’t what they had expected, and she <em>certainly</em> wasn’t a pink-wearing flower child. Tripitaka stepped in front of her friends and raised her arms. “My friends aren’t demons. They’re Gods. And I’m human.”</p>
<p>The Princess narrowed her brown eyes at all of them – until her gaze landed on Monkey, and those same eyes widened. “Monkey King!” She put away her sword and relaxed her posture. “My apologies.”</p>
<p>Monkey frowned. “You know who I am?”</p>
<p>“It’s a long story,” she admitted.</p>
<p>“Can you tell it on the way back to the palace?” Pigsy suggested.</p>
<p>She frowned. “Palace?” And then rolled her eyes. “Oh Gods, this again. I’m sorry that arrogant prick put you up to this, but I don’t need rescuing. I ran away because I was tired of King Rajesh treating me like I’m just another one of his many possessions that he can barter away at will.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka blinked in surprise. This was definitely something she hadn’t expected, and judging by the looks of her friends, they were in the same boat as her. Though looking the Princess up and down, it made sense; she looked like a young woman who could take care of herself.</p>
<p>“But…” Sandy spoke up, “what about the demon?”</p>
<p>The bushes rustled again, and out stepped a very familiar demon.</p>
<p>And the quartet immediately tensed up. “You?”</p>
<p>The Font Demon smiled. “Me.”</p>
<p>“It’s OK,” assured the Princess. “He’s with me.”</p>
<p>Monkey pointed his staff at the Font Demon, and Tripitaka could tell he was itching for an excuse to beat the demon into oblivion. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t destroy him right here, right now.”</p>
<p>The Princess smiled at him. “You never change, Monkey. I guess it makes sense that you wouldn’t recognise us, since we’re in different bodies. The demon is Wolf. And I’m Padma.” </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter Seven: The Truth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Monkey stared at them in shock. “Padma? Wolf?”</p>
<p>“Are we supposed to know who these people are?” asked Sandy, looking confused.</p>
<p>“I recognise the names,” said Pigsy. “Padma was a member of the War Maidens, while Wolf was a forest God. Never met them, though.”</p>
<p>“I did.” Monkey kept his staff pointed at them. There was a good chance that they weren’t who they said they were, and he wanted to be sure. “Prove to me that you’re them.”</p>
<p>Padma nodded. “I was the one who told Cada about Yue Lao.”</p>
<p>Monkey nearly dropped his staff in shock, and couldn’t find the words to respond.</p>
<p>“I think it’s really them, Monkey,” said Tripitaka. “She has the same look in her eyes that she did before.”</p>
<p>“Before?” Pigsy looked between them. “How do you know who she is, Tripitaka? You weren’t even <em>born</em> back then. Your grandmother’s <em>grandmother</em> wasn’t even born.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka shrunk in on herself a little, and Monkey wanted to whack Pigsy upside the head with his staff for making her look like that. “I’ve been venturing into Memory Space when I sleep. Not of my own will, but I’ve been seeing someone else’s memories. Padma was in them. I was going to tell you and Sandy at the right time.”</p>
<p>“That can wait,” said Monkey. He really didn’t want to tell Pigsy and Sandy about Cada (though he suspected that Pigsy might have heard rumours, since he knew who Padma and Wolf were), at least not now. “First, you two need to explain how you got here – and how Wolf ended up as a demon.”</p>
<p>“Like I said, it’s a long story,” said Padma. “Our place isn’t far. We should talk there.”</p>
<p>Padma and Wolf led the quartet further into the forest, and Monkey let his mind race. It was no surprise that Padma and Wolf had perished in the demon uprising that had followed his imprisonment; both of them would have been fighting on the front line. But their return was really throwing him for a loop. Here were two Gods, bound together by the Red Thread of Fate, who had been reincarnated. And despite coming back as a human and a demon, they had found one another again.</p>
<p>The hope that Tripitaka had given him before was reignited. Did that mean Cada was out there somewhere, looking for him?</p>
<p>The pair led them to a recently built house made of logs, which was camouflaged with branches, bushes and moss. It was large enough to house them all, but still small enough to feel cosy.</p>
<p>“We don’t really have anything to offer you all,” Padma apologised, as they all took a seat inside. “Living in the forest is peaceful, but not very practical when it comes to food variety.”</p>
<p>“That’s OK, Princess Peony,” said Sandy with a smile.</p>
<p>“Please, call me Padma. Peony is a stupid name.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka smiled and nodded her approval, though it was a small movement and Monkey was the only one who caught it.</p>
<p>He cleared his throat. “So, where do we start?”</p>
<p>“Where all stories start: the beginning,” said Padma. “After you were imprisoned, Monkey, the demons attacked Jade Mountain. The War Maidens fought them – and all of us were slain.”</p>
<p>“I sensed her die through our bond, so I attacked the demons myself in order to avenge her,” said Wolf. “I was killed, too – but a demon shaman managed to capture my soul before it could depart for Heaven.”</p>
<p>“Wait, bond?” Pigsy interrupted. “What bond?”</p>
<p>“Wolf and I are bound by the Red Thread of Fate,” said Padma. “When Wolf’s soul didn’t meet me in Heaven, I allowed myself to be reincarnated so that I could find him. But I could only reincarnate into human forms. I had many, and in each form I searched for Wolf, without realising I was doing it. You see, when we reincarnate, we lose all of our memories of our previous life or lives. But a part of me always remembered. I never married another in all of my human lives.”</p>
<p>“Meanwhile, my soul was trapped in this demon form,” said Wolf, gesturing to himself. “I too lost my memories, and was made into a slave. Every time I was destroyed, I would be remade by Davari. Until you set me free, Tripitaka.”</p>
<p>“I remember,” she said.</p>
<p>Monkey remembered, too. He had wanted to destroy the Font Demons, but Tripitaka hadn’t let him. She’d said that these demons weren’t evil by choice, and that they deserved to have that choice. When Davari’s demon allies had attacked and they’d all been forced to flee Jade Mountain, most of the Font Demons had joined their kin, but Wolf hadn’t been among them.</p>
<p>“I still couldn’t remember my past life,” Wolf continued, “but deep down I knew I was never meant to be a demon. So, I started travelling. I fought over demons to make up for all the sins I’d committed. And then I found Padma.”</p>
<p>“<em>I</em> found <em>him</em>,” she teased, bumping her shoulder against his. “My human life in this form has been difficult. Like I said before, King Rajesh treated me like an object, and none of his courtiers took me seriously because they only saw me as a useless girl. I was tired of being told over and over that I’m nothing, so I trained myself to fight by watching the guards, and every night I would sneak out to defend my people from demon raids.”</p>
<p>“And that’s how you met Wolf again?” asked Sandy.</p>
<p>Padma shook her head. “No. One day, the Horned Brothers showed up so that they could receive a tribute from Rajesh. And when he asked them to name their price, the youngest brother, Silver, asked for me. And Gold asked for something of equal value. So Rajesh offered to give him the Sacred Scroll; the scroll my family had protected for five hundred years. I was hiding close by, and overheard everything. I was so… angry at him for willingly giving me up to a demon, and ignoring his duty as a protector of the scroll.”</p>
<p>Monkey couldn’t blame her. He could already feel his angry growing towards the King. What kind of man would do that to their own daughter? “That’s why you ran away. And you took the scroll with you.”</p>
<p>“This was before I had my memories,” she said. “I was just a girl who felt hurt and betrayed by the only family I had left, and wanted to do the right thing. But as you well know, the scroll is the Scroll of Love. The moment I touched it, the memories came flooding back to me. It stunned me for long enough that a guard caught me in the act of stealing the scroll and raised the alarm. I was able to escape the palace, but the Horned Brothers came after me. I was fighting off their demons when Wolf joined the fray, protecting me.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t know who she was,” he said. “I only saw that she needed help.”</p>
<p>“When the fight was over, I was wary,” said Padma. “But something deep within me recognised him. Which is why I let him touch the scroll.”</p>
<p>“And then I remembered, too.” Wolf took her hand in his and they both squeezed one another gently.</p>
<p>“Since then, we’ve been fighting demons that cross into the forest from over the mountains, and protecting the people that the King leaves for dead,” said Padma. “I’m sorry again that he set you up to this. Rajesh is selfish and greedy; he only protects his possessions and ignores the plight of his people. If the world was burning, he wouldn’t care so long as his palace wasn’t burning with it.”</p>
<p>Pigsy snorted. “He sounds delightful.”</p>
<p>“What about the demons?” asked Monkey.</p>
<p>“The Horned Brothers have tried to get me back,” said Padma, “but every one of their attempts have failed. It would be funny if they weren’t trying to eat people. We’ve managed to drive them back every time, but we haven’t managed to kill them.”</p>
<p>Monkey smirked. “Are you asking me to kill them for you?”</p>
<p>Padma rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “You and I both know that I don’t <em>need</em> to ask you to kill demons. But it’s late now. You can all stay for the night, and then we can go demon hunting in the morning.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t until later that night, when the others had settled in and were asleep, that Monkey was able to catch Padma alone. “Hey. You probably wouldn’t know, but… Have you heard anything about where Cada could be? She… she wasn’t in Heaven, and after that story you told…”</p>
<p>“No, I don’t.” She laid a comforting hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. About what happened.”</p>
<p>Monkey averted his gaze to his feet. “It was my fault.”</p>
<p>“You know whose fault it was, and it wasn’t yours,” Padma assured him. “And while I don’t know where she could be, I have an idea as to how we can find out. We just need to follow the Red Thread of Fate that binds you together.”</p>
<p>“The Scroll of Love,” Monkey realised.</p>
<p>“Come on.” She led him towards another room. “I’ll help you, since you <em>still</em> probably don’t know how to read the ancient language.”</p>
<p>“I learnt the word ‘and’!”</p>
<p>“Congratulations. You’re on the same level as a child. Actually, lower. They know more than one word.”</p>
<p>“Ha, ha.” </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter Eight: Remember</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tripitaka was getting used to opening her eyes and finding herself standing in unfamiliar environments, only this time she was surrounded by a sense of dread. Whatever was about to happen wasn’t going to end happily.</p>
<p>She was standing in a small valley surrounded by rocks, with a large mountain towering overhead. A short distance away was Monkey, his scarf covering his mouth and nose, fighting in the heat of battle. But his opponents weren’t demons – they were Gods. Tripitaka guessed that this must have been after the murder of the Master, and the other Gods were sent out to capture the one they thought to be the culprit. The fact that Monkey was trying not to hurt them backed this up.</p>
<p>Another figure soon joined the fray. It was Cada, and with her sword she too fought off the other Gods with minimum force. With the two Gods working together, they were able to knock out their opponents and quickly retreated further into the valley. Tripitaka hurried to catch up with them, the magic of the Memory Space allowing her to move faster than she normally would.</p>
<p>When she found them again, they were having an argument.</p>
<p>“You shouldn’t have come after me, Cada!” Monkey was yelling, his scarf pulled down. “If they catch you, too-”</p>
<p>“I don’t care anymore!” she yelled back. “I know you didn’t kill the Master. I know you didn’t take the Scrolls for yourself. Where are they?”</p>
<p>“They’re safe. Scattered.” Monkey gently cupped her cheek. “Cada, my punishment will be yours too if you stay. You will lose everything.”</p>
<p>She shook her head, tears in her eyes. “But I won’t lose you. I don’t care about everything else. I’d rather die than be without you.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka watched as the emotions warred in Monkey’s eyes; the desire to protect the one he loved against doing as she wished. Cada made the choice for him with a furious kiss, full of passion and desperation. She made it clear that she wasn’t leaving his side, and Monkey couldn’t deny her.</p>
<p>“<em>Him?!</em>”</p>
<p>The pair stopped kissing and turned. More soldiers from Jade Mountain had arrived, and leading them were Jin and Yin. The younger brother looked shocked by what had occurred, but the former was enraged. </p>
<p>Jin walked towards the pair slowly, shaking with anger. “You could have had the power and prestige that came with my status, but you chose <em>him</em>?! This betrayer?!”</p>
<p>Another God stepped forwards. Tripitaka recognised him as on of the Gods who had also been imprisoned under Davari at Jade Palace. Lior? “She will face the same punishment for helping him.”</p>
<p>“No.” Jin drew his sword. “She will be stripped of her title as a War Maiden, and I will take her as my bride.”</p>
<p>Cada stepped in front of Monkey and drew her own sword. “It’s too late. Monkey and I have been blessed by Yue Lao. He bound us together by the Red Thread of Fate, and it cannot be broken by anyone or anything. Not even you. I will never be yours, Jin.”</p>
<p>The God charged her with his sword raised, yelling with rage. She met his sword with hers, and they exchanged blows. Monkey attempted to jump into the fight and help her, but he was distracted by the combined forces of Lior and Yin holding him off.</p>
<p>Tripitaka watched the battle between the Goddess and the larger God with the weight of knowing how it was going to end. She didn’t know how she knew; she just did. And while Cada put up a good fight, Jin was larger and far stronger, and eventually overpowered her.</p>
<p>It took one misstep on her part, and Jin ran his sword through her gut.</p>
<p>“NO!” Monkey’s cry was devastating.</p>
<p>Yin took advantage of the God’s distraction and swung his sword at his head, but was suddenly hit by an arrow that came from higher up the mountain. He dropped dead, and Lior dispatched a few Gods to hunt down the archer. Tripitaka couldn’t quite make out the retreating form high above them, but the familiarity of the person’s movements told her that it was Padma.</p>
<p>And she wasn’t the only one to kill the man who sought her as a trophy bride.</p>
<p>“You should have been mine when you had the chance,” Jin hissed at Cada.</p>
<p>But he was too secure in his own triumph, and had dropped his guard. With the last ounce of her strength, Cada swung her sword and beheaded the God with one strike. His head landed several feet away, and the rest of his body dropped lifelessly to the ground.</p>
<p>Cada went to follow its example, but Monkey dropped his staff and rushed forwards, catching her before she hit the earth. He cradled her in his arms, tears in his eyes. Some of the Gods went to arrest him, but Lior held out his hand to stop them. Angry as he was at Monkey, he was honourable enough to allow him this moment.</p>
<p>“Cada… no…” Monkey pulled her tightly against him.</p>
<p>“It’s OK,” she said. “You will see me again. The Red Thread… of Fate… will always bind us. I will… find you… Whatever the Gods do to you, I will… come and… save you…”</p>
<p>Her eyes slid closed, and her life faded away.</p>
<p>Tripitaka wanted to go to Monkey and comfort him, but then the other Gods were surrounding him, and suddenly her eyes snapped open. She was lying on her sleeping matt in Padma’s house, and everything was still. Pigsy and Sandy were close-by, also sleeping. There was no sign of either Monkey, Padma or Wolf.</p>
<p>Upon sitting upright, she saw Wolf standing guard outside by the window. It was likely that Monkey and Padma were somewhere else talking, probably catching up. But after what she’d just witnessed, Tripitaka felt the urgent need to find Monkey and comfort him. He hadn’t been able to properly grieve Cada (or the Master, for that matter) before being imprisoned by his fellow Gods, and he certainly hadn’t done so after being released. At least, not from her perspective.</p>
<p>Moving quietly so she wouldn’t wake the others, Tripitaka got to her feet and left the room. There weren’t many rooms to search, so it didn’t take her long to find the pair.</p>
<p>They were standing around a table, Padma to the left while Monkey’s back was to the door. From her position on the threshold, Tripitaka could see the Scroll of Love rolled out. She briefly wondered why they were looking at it, but pushed the question to the back of her mind.</p>
<p>“Monkey,” she began, “I saw what happened to Cada. I’m so, so sorry. If you ever need to talk about it, I’m here.”</p>
<p>For a moment, the whole world paused.</p>
<p>Then Monkey slowly turned to face her. And in his watery eyes, Tripitaka witnessed a storm of emotions. He looked at her like she was everything to him; like she could light up the sky or bring the rain after a dry summer.</p>
<p>He looked at her like he’d looked at Cada.</p>
<p>She frowned. “Monkey, are you OK?”</p>
<p>One moment he was still, and then the next he’d crossed over to her with one great stride. His arms encircled her and pulled her against him, tightly but gently. He clutched her like his life depended on it, and all Tripitaka could do was return his embrace. Not that she was complaining. Being in his arms felt… right.</p>
<p>Her shoulder was turning wet from his tears, and she felt him muttering something against her. She couldn’t make out what he was saying until he adjusted his head.</p>
<p>“Cada… my Cada… You found me…”</p>
<p>Tripitaka frowned again. Why was he calling her…?</p>
<p>She looked over his shoulder at the Scroll of Love. From her position, she couldn’t make out the words written on the page, so instead looked over to Padma.</p>
<p>The other woman – or Goddess in a woman’s body – didn’t say a word. Instead she stepped forwards and picked up the scroll, rolling it back up before she walked towards the embracing pair. She held out the scroll towards Tripitaka, and not understanding what Padma wanted her to do, Tripitaka reached out her hand and took the scroll.</p>
<p>And the second her fingers touched the paper, she was hit with an explosion of memories.</p>
<p>They moved backwards, rushing to be remembered. She’d had many human lives; living in fear of demons, running from them, fighting them. But always searching for… something. Something she didn’t understand.</p>
<p>No. She was searching for some<em>one</em>.</p>
<p>Many men and some women took romantic interest in her, but she never returned their feelings. It never felt right. No one could match up to the one she sought. The one she could never find.</p>
<p>Then a new wave of memories hit her, and everything made sense.</p>
<p>Monkey. She’d been searching for Monkey.</p>
<p>Because he was her everything. She’d met him on Jade Mountain, and they’d become fast friends. Her duties meant that she couldn’t see him as often as she wanted to, but they’d made it work. And it hadn’t been long before they’d fallen in love. Secret meetings led to a secret binding, and they’d soldiered through a burdened existence of many days of longing and hurried nights of passion, until…</p>
<p>Until she’d died.</p>
<p>But the Red Thread of Fate had brought them together again.</p>
<p>Tripitaka’s eyes widened when her memories slid into place.</p>
<p>She was Cada, the Golden Goddess.</p>
<p>And she had come home. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter Nine: The Horned Brothers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tripitaka was Cada.</p>
<p>She was alive, she was with him, she had found him just like she said she would…</p>
<p>He wanted to tell himself that he had always known, and maybe a small part of him had. Her presence had always comforted him in a way Cada’s once had, and what he felt for her…</p>
<p>But how he had treated her sometimes – like she was an insignificant human, like she wasn’t someone who could lead them on their quest – was enough to indicate that he hadn’t truly known. Because he never would have treated her that way if he had.</p>
<p>It quickly occurred to him that he was hugging the life out of her without her understanding why. Though he didn’t want to let her go, he went to pull away, but movement behind him made him pause. Padma handed the scroll to Tripitaka, she touched it, and went still.</p>
<p>And when she herself pulled back to look at him, he could see Cada in her eyes. She remembered him.</p>
<p>Monkey didn’t care that she had a different body. He didn’t care that she was no longer the Golden Goddess renowned for her beauty. She was still Cada on the inside. She was still the woman he loved.</p>
<p>“I found you,” she said with wonder.</p>
<p>“Even when you didn’t know what you were looking for.” He smiled.</p>
<p>Their lips met with fiery passion.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>By early morning, they were sat on the roof of the house, watching what little they could see of the sunrise.</p>
<p>Tripitaka curled closer into Monkey, burying herself in his warmth. They had spent most of the night… reacquainting themselves with one another, before explaining the entire story to Pigsy and Sandy. The other Gods had taken the whole situation in their stride, though Tripitaka had overheard Pigsy whispering to Sandy that it probably meant she and Monkey would be disappearing into bushes whenever they wanted some “alone time”. She’d rolled her eyes at his prediction (that would probably come true), and giggle at Sandy’s puzzled “but how can they be alone if they’re with each other” questioning.</p>
<p>Her previous memories had settled. While her past human lives were more faded, like memories from a dream, her memories of her life as Cada were as clear as her memories of <em>this</em> life. She was still Hortense, ward of the Scholar. She was still Tripitaka.</p>
<p>She wasn’t two people in one body. She was a single person who had led two vastly different lives.</p>
<p>Like he was reading her mind, Monkey asked, “What should we call you?”</p>
<p>“Whatever you like,” she said with a shrug.</p>
<p>“Fine with me, Hortense.”</p>
<p>“Except that.” She elbowed him with a smile. “I’m Tripitaka, but I’m also Cada.”</p>
<p>He nodded. “Maybe now you’ll stop questioning whether or not you’re supposed to be here. I think this is all the answer you’ll need.”</p>
<p>The idea that there were Gods (or perhaps beings even higher than that) moving them around like the world was their chess board never sat right with her, but she didn’t think this was anything to do with that. This was the Red Thread of Fate, leading her back to Monkey no matter what.</p>
<p>She wanted to voice her other concerns. Was she still a human, or did remembering her previous life make her a Goddess? Not that she minded, but if she was still a human that would mean her mortal body would grow old and die…</p>
<p>But those were concerns for the future. They still had a quest; there were still two more scrolls to find, which they needed to deliver to the Western Mountains in order to defeat the demons once and for all. Concerns could wait until those problems were solved.</p>
<p>“Do you think there’re any more Gods out there, reincarnated into mortal bodies?” she asked. “Or even demon ones?”</p>
<p>“Who knows,” said Monkey. “I saw some in Heaven. Gwen was up there. Are you worried that Jin could be out there somewhere?”</p>
<p>Honestly, she hadn’t thought about that. But since Monkey had brought it up… “They wouldn’t have gone to Heaven, would they? Jin killed me, and considering what else he tried to do…”</p>
<p>Monkey took her hand in his. “If he returned, I won’t let him take you.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t make promises you can’t keep, Monkey King.”</p>
<p>While the voice wasn’t familiar, the tone behind it was. Monkey pulled his staff out of his hair and resized it, leaping to his feet. Tripitaka leapt up too, pulling out her dagger and wishing she had her old sword from her War Maiden days. They both jumped down from the roof to face their opponents head on.</p>
<p>Those opponents were a group of demons who had appeared from the trees, and they were being led by two who Tripitaka assumed to be the Horned Brothers, given the large horns sticking out of their foreheads. One of them was larger with golden hair, while the lankier one’s hair was silver. Gold and Silver, the King had called them.</p>
<p>And while their bodies and faces were different, their colours were too much of a coincidence for them to be anyone else other than Jin and Yin.</p>
<p>From inside the house, the others appeared. Pigsy and Sandy didn’t question the sudden arrival of the demons, and held their weapons ready. Padma and Wolf had their swords drawn, and the former looked particularly irritated to see the demons.</p>
<p>“You didn’t tell us these guys are Jin and Yin,” Monkey said to her.</p>
<p>“I was going to explain it later,” said Padma. “Considering what happened to Cada, I didn’t want you flying off the handle and going after them yourself.”</p>
<p>Pigsy looked between them. “Wait, these guys are the Gods who were after the pair of you for unsavoury purposes?”</p>
<p>“Our intentions were not unsavoury!” said Gold. “They were to become our brides.” There was a tranquil fury in his eyes as he looked at Tripitaka.</p>
<p>Silver’s fury was out in the open; he was itching to throw himself into battle. “You were supposed to be <em>mine</em>, Padma! Why would you consort with that… <em>animal</em>, when you had someone like <em>me</em>?!”</p>
<p>Padma didn’t look impressed. “Because he treats me like an equal; a person. You only saw me as a pretty little object to hang off your arm.”</p>
<p>“If you really loved us,” said Tripitaka, “then you would want us to be happy. You would let us make our own choices.”</p>
<p>“The choices you made are ones you will soon regret,” said Gold. “We allowed ourselves to reincarnate so that we could find you again. And now we have. Neither of you will be getting away from us this time.”</p>
<p>The brothers drew their swords.</p>
<p>“But you can’t,” Sandy spoke up. “The Red Thread of Fate still binds them all together.”</p>
<p>“Why do you think we want that scroll?” said Silver. “It can tell us how to undo what has been bound – and how to make bonds of our own.” He glanced lustfully at Padma.</p>
<p>Wolf snarled, sounding like an actual Wolf, and lunged forwards. </p>
<p>And the battle commenced.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter Ten: The Journey Continues</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A big thanks to everyone who's read this story.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As their journey had continued and Tripitaka had found herself getting better and better at fighting, she’d thought it was a combination of practise and Monkey’s good teaching.</p>
<p>Only now did she realised that Sandy had been right on the money: she had simply been remembering her training as a War Maiden.</p>
<p>With only a dagger as her weapon, she struggled against Gold and his strong attacks, though unlike the last time she had Monkey fighting alongside her. He was taking the brunt of the God turned demon’s strikes, but luckily, they didn’t slow him down.</p>
<p>Padma and Wolf fought against Silver, and were faring better. Pigsy and Sandy were fighting against the other demons, though it wasn’t much of a fight; the lesser demons were nothing more than cannon fodder for the two Gods.</p>
<p>When the other demons were finished, Pigsy and Sandy jumped in to help the others, the former helping Padma and Wolf while the latter helped Tripitaka and Monkey. Tripitaka, whose muscles were starting to burn with exhaustion, was grateful for the ease of pressure.</p>
<p>Silver was the first to go down. Pigsy struck him with lightning, and while the demon was stunned, Wolf kicked his hand to deprive him of his weapon. Padma ran him through with her sword.</p>
<p>“Rot in Hell, you son of a bitch,” she snarled as she withdrew her sword.</p>
<p>The demon burst into ash.</p>
<p>Gold was helpless to do anything to save his brother. “No!”</p>
<p>Momentarily distracted, he was hit in the head by Sandy, while Tripitaka swooped in and cut off his sword-bearing hand. The demon let out a cry and collapsed to his knees.</p>
<p>Monkey stood before him with his staff raised. “I suggest that you and your brother don’t ever try this again.” He struck Gold in the chest, and the demon exploded into ash.</p>
<p>Everyone took a moment to catch their breath.</p>
<p>“Is it just me,” Pigsy spoke up, “or was that really anti-climactic?”</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Monkey didn’t care that the fight had been short. Tripitaka – Cada – was safe. She had been struggling in her battle against Gold thanks to her human body, and Monkey had feared that she would be killed once again.</p>
<p>But she hadn’t, and with no Godly bureaucracy keeping them apart, they were free to be together. And if any Gods in the Western Mountains wanted to argue, they’d just have to kiss his-</p>
<p>“The scroll is yours.” Padma presented the Scroll of Love to Tripitaka, who accepted it with a smile.</p>
<p>She then handed it to Monkey, who added it to their ever-growing collection on his back. “What will you do?” he asked the pair.</p>
<p>Padma shared a look with Wolf. “We need to stay here and protect the people of this Kingdom. With the Horned Brothers gone, other demon lords will be looking to claim their territory. And there’s also King Rajesh to deal with.”</p>
<p>“Or you could just, you know, <em>wait</em> for him to die,” Pigsy suggested. “Technically, you’re next in line for the throne.”</p>
<p>She shrugged. “His nobles will have something to say about that, but it’s an idea.”</p>
<p>Tripitaka stepped forwards and gave her friend a hug. “I hope we meet again when all this is over.”</p>
<p>“Me, too.” Padma hugged her back.</p>
<p>Monkey clutched hands with Wolf. It was still weird to think about that the demon he had fought (and at one point killed) had once been a God, and one he had known at that. “Take care.”</p>
<p>“You too, Monkey King.”</p>
<p>And then they were on their way, continuing on their journey to find the two remaining Sacred Scrolls.</p>
<p>“What is the next scroll, Tripitaka?” Sandy asked.</p>
<p>“The Scroll of Peace.” Tripitaka leaned against Monkey, and he wrapped an arm around her. “And after that is the Scroll of…” She trailed off and giggled when Monkey leaned down and started nibbling her ear. “Monkey, stop!”</p>
<p>“Forgive me for wanting to make up for five hundred years.” He smirked and winked at her. She bumped his shoulder with hers.</p>
<p>Pigsy rolled his eyes and looked at Sandy. “Well, this journey just got longer.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I first thought of the idea for this story two years ago, some time after my third or fourth re-watch of season 1. The release of season 2 finally gave me the motivation to write it, but thanks to a combination of an extremely fickle muse and lack of time (too busy with RL, too busy writing other stuff), I ended up rushing it. A lot. </p>
<p>This story was supposed to be longer. It was supposed to dive deeper into the entire concept of the red string of fate and reincarnation, not to mention dive deeper into the emotions of the characters. But I wanted to get this story done and out of the way, and looking back on it, I'm not entirely satisfied with how it turned out. </p>
<p>I guess what I'm saying it, I'm sorry for not writing this thing to the best of my ability, and if the muse ever hits again then I might re-write a better version. But knowing my track record, it probably won't happen. If anyone wants to use any concepts or plot points from this fic (or heck, even write their own version), then feel free.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>